December 20 / 14.45 Ayr

14.45

Soft

Ayrshire Cancer Support Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £3696.7
  • 2m 4f 110y
  • Class 5
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
Ayrshire Cancer Support Handicap Chase

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

OUR TIP

7/2 (Won)

  • Win: £3.00
  • Place: £1.50

Form: F77-3P C

Last run: 42 days

W: 11st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 91

Form & Verdict
Hasn't kicked on since winning over hurdles in novice handicap here (2m, good; first-time tongue-tie) in March; possesses the size and scope for chasing but didn't get far on rules chasing debut at Musselburgh (pulled up after a bad mistake; saddle slipped); still has time on his side, but equally also something to prove.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

15th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

15:21 Perth

Artic Row

11st 6lb

J: Dominic Hislop

T: N W Alexander

Last three wins have been in 2m4f handicap chases at Ayr, although won a 2m Ayr novice handicap over hurdles in March 2023 (good); hasn't been in top form over fences on last three starts and probably best watched this time.

12/1

6

15th May 2025

Good

2m 4f 35y

Class 4

15:21 Perth

Artic Row

11st 6lb

J: Dominic Hislop

T: N W Alexander

Last three wins have been in 2m4f handicap chases at Ayr, although won a 2m Ayr novice handicap over hurdles in March 2023 (good); hasn't been in top form over fences on last three starts and probably best watched this time.

12/1

5th

1

19th Apr 2025

Good

2m 3f 203y

Class 4

17:00 Haydock

Artic Row

12st 2lb

J: Callum Pritchard

T: N W Alexander

Three chase wins at Ayr (2m4f on soft/good to soft) last winter but below best there in March and at Carlisle since; Callum Pritchard takes off a helpful 5lb but adding cheekpieces acknowledges something needs to change.

8/1

6/1

  • Place: £3.20

Form: 43PP95 CD

Last run: 9 days

W: 10st 12lb

12 yo Gelding

OR: 89

Form & Verdict
Veteran; fine Ayr record (eight wins) over the years; feasibly handicapped on form from earlier this year but out of sorts in recent times, including when soon on the retreat once headed over C&D (fifth of six, beaten 41l) last week; it's difficult to have confidence with that effort in mind.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10

7th Mar 2025

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 4

16:40 Ayr

Ardera Cross

10st 3lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: William Young Jnr

Multiple course scorer but this veteran chaser has been pulled up on his last three runs, including over 2m here last time; hard to warm to.

50/1

4

6th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 5

14:35 Ayr

Ardera Cross

11st 4lb

J: Derek Fox

T: William Young Jnr

led, headed 5 out, soon weakened quickly, pulled up before 4 out

25/1

4

6th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 5

14:35 Ayr

Ardera Cross

11st 4lb

J: Derek Fox

T: William Young Jnr

led, headed 5 out, soon weakened quickly, pulled up before 4 out

25/1

Form: 452U66

Last run: 26 days

W: 10st 3lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 80

Form & Verdict
Yet to win (0-22), although did go close over hurdles at Cartmel (2m1f, soft) in August; few positives to take from his two previous attempts over fences - he didn't jump fluently at Catterick (2m3f) latest - and cheekpieces are now applied; risky proposition.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

24th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 107y

Class 5

18:38 Cartmel

Fathers Advice

10st 5lb

J: Ben Smith

T: R Mike Smith

Came good at 32nd attempt, from just out of the weights in Perth chase (3m, good) ten days ago; has run well here (albeit over hurdles) and is still unexposed over staying trips; no surprise if he features.

5/1

9

24th May 2025

Good

3m 1f 107y

Class 5

18:38 Cartmel

Fathers Advice

10st 5lb

J: Ben Smith

T: R Mike Smith

Came good at 32nd attempt, from just out of the weights in Perth chase (3m, good) ten days ago; has run well here (albeit over hurdles) and is still unexposed over staying trips; no surprise if he features.

5/1

7

14th May 2025

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 5

19:30 Perth

Fathers Advice

10st 2lb

J: Nathan Moscrop

T: R Mike Smith

Has 0-31 strike-rate and is 2lb wrong today but ran quite well when upped to 3m over hurdles at Ayr (soft; also suited by good) in March and remains unexposed over this trip; back over fences today; not ruled out.

10/1

Form: /25-12

Last run: 21 days

W: 12st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
3-4 in points; stepped up on his hurdles form when making a winning rules chasing debut at Kelso (3m, soft); backed that up with a good second (survived a bad mistake) back there next time; still fairly weighted and, with Brian Hughes again aboard, looks the one to beat.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

14th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 4

14:33 Perth

Busty Boy

11st 10lb

J: Danny McMenamin

T: Daragh Bourke

Only 1-22 under rules and clearly hard to win with but he arrives in form having placed in a second successive Highland National here (3m6f, good) last month; just as effective over this shorter distance.

7/2

2nd

6

24th Apr 2026

Good

3m 6f 121y

Class 3

14:05 Perth

Busty Boy

11st 5lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Daragh Bourke

Only 1-21 overall and clearly hard to win with, but he was runner-up in this 12 months ago and returns in form having been running well from 2m4f to 3m; in the mix.

5/1

3rd

4

31st Mar 2026

Good

2m 4f 72y

Class 4

15:50 Bangor-on-Dee

Busty Boy

11st 11lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Daragh Bourke

Sole win under rules came in a handicap chase in 2023 (2m7f, soft); stays 3m6f but nearly won over this far at Carlisle on his reappearance and not disgraced since.

6/1

Form: 2/U6-6

Last run: 17 days

W: 10st 8lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 85

Form & Verdict
No win since November 2021 (3m, Newcastle) and finished last of six when last in action over fences at Perth in June 2022; entitled to strip fitter for recent Carlisle comeback run (hurdle) and has eased in the weights, but it would still come as a surprise were he to figure positively.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

9

15th Jun 2024

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

17:27 Hexham

Gun Merchant

10st 8lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Alison Hamilton

Bumper (yielding) and 2m7f chase (good) winner who is hard to make a strong case for based on three starts since a lengthy absence.

25/1

5th

6

15th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 180y

Class 5

19:22 Perth

Gun Merchant

10st 9lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Alison Hamilton

towards rear, midfield when not fluent 10th

25/1

5th

6

15th May 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 180y

Class 5

19:22 Perth

Gun Merchant

10st 9lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Alison Hamilton

towards rear, midfield when not fluent 10th

25/1

Form: P/0-FP

Last run: 67 days

W: 10st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 69

Form & Verdict
11-race maiden; hasn't shown much in four goes over fences (P0FP), admittedly badly hampered mid-race at Hexham (2m4f, soft) last time; sits 10lb out of the handicap proper, so it isn't difficult to look elsewhere.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

15th Apr 2024

Soft

2m 7f 96y

Class 4

17:00 Kelso

Any Job Will Do

12st 0lb

J: Mr Huw Edwards

T: Jackie Stephen

Struggled to get competitive off lowly marks in handicap chases last year but appeared to display improvement when making all to cause 12-1 surprise in maiden point at Friars Haugh (2m4f, good to soft) last month; now needs to build on that performance.

14/1

3

15th Apr 2024

Soft

2m 7f 96y

Class 4

17:00 Kelso

Any Job Will Do

12st 0lb

J: Mr Huw Edwards

T: Jackie Stephen

Struggled to get competitive off lowly marks in handicap chases last year but appeared to display improvement when making all to cause 12-1 surprise in maiden point at Friars Haugh (2m4f, good to soft) last month; now needs to build on that performance.

14/1

0

6

20th Dec 2023

Soft

2m 4f 110y

Class 5

14:45 Ayr

Any Job Will Do

10st 2lb

J: Bruce Lynn

T: Jackie Stephen

raced in last, lost touch 3rd, detached and struggling 4th, pulled up

50/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £14.40
Straight Forecast £17.90
Trifecta £43.20

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Busty Boy

The Times:

Artic Row

TOPSPEED:

Ardera Cross

POSTDATA:

Fathers Advice

Daily Mirror:

Artic Row

The Star:

Artic Row

RP RATINGS:

Busty Boy

Telegraph:

Busty Boy

The Guardian:

Busty Boy

Daily Mail:

Busty Boy

The Sun:

Busty Boy

Daily Record:

Busty Boy

D Express:

Ardera Cross